1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to surgical devices; and, more particularly, to a surgical tool having a pair of grasping jaws actuated to open and close.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In working inside of the abdominal cavity of a patient, the surgeon makes a hole in the patient's body and manipulates a surgical instrument that is passed through an elongated small diameter hollow tube or cannula inserted into the hole in the patient's abdominal cavity. Such a cannula may have an outer diameter as small as eleven millimeters and be about 8 to 9" long. The surgeon views the interior of the abdominal cavity through a conventional lens system associated with the patient which projects the interior view on a video screen. Such an instrument should be able to be inserted through such a small diameter tube, grasp or separate tissue, coagulate tissue, etc. Such an instrument should be about 12 to 14" long and should allow the surgeon to grasp with ease. The jaws of such an instrument should be able to open and close outside of the cannula with the parts of the instruments effecting such opening and closing working within the cannula.